When I Was Joe

I found this book at my school library and thought I'd give it a try. I started reading and was immediately hooked.

The book is about this fourteen year old boy named Tyler who lives in East London. After witnessing a murder he goes to the police and they put him and his mom into the Witness Protection Program. He had to change everything about him: his name, his age, his birthday, his hair, and his eyes. When he went to his new school called Parkview, he is like any normal new kid, doesn't know where he's going and blah, blah, blah. He eventually meets the athletics coach Mr. Henderson and Ellie, a disabled girl who is trying out for the paralympics. After a little while he starts training with Ellie to be a runner. He went from being invisible Ty to being popluar Joe. Things start going back to normal and Ty and his mom feel safe again, but good things always come to an end. His grandmother is beaten and is put into the hospital and Ty isn't allowed to see her. Ty and his mom also become friends with Ellie's family and Ty becomes good friends with Claire, Ellie's sister. And after telling the whole story to Claire, Ty and his mom are relocated, and start over again, new name, new looks, new age, new everything.

I think this book was a good read and it is cool to see how England is, how dangerous it can be, instead of the sugar-coated version all of the rest of the world see. There are two sequels, Almost True and Another Life. I would recommend this book, definitely. 5/5 stars!!!!